Ebola outbreak prompts US travel warning

Washington: US health authorities have issued a warning against travel to three African nations facing the largest outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged "all US residents to avoid non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone".

The current outbreak of the highly contagious Ebola virus has killed 729 people in West Africa since March, according to the World Health Organization.

The WHO reported 57 new deaths between July 24 and July 27 in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Photo: Reuters

The hemorrhagic virus can be fatal in up to 90 per cent of cases, though this outbreak has killed about 60 per cent of those infected.

Advertisement

The CDC's travel advisory came just days after two American healthcare workers were diagnosed with Ebola.

They are listed in stable but grave condition.

The ebola virus, which has killed nearly 700 people in west Africa. Photo: AFP

CDC chief Tom Frieden stressed that direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person who is showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, are necessary to contract Ebola.

"It is important to understand how it spreads," Dr Frieden told reporters.

"It does not spread from people who are not sick with it."

He said the travel advisory was issued "because the ongoing Ebola outbreak in these countries poses a potential risk to travellers".

"Particularly if you are travelling to the area and you happen to fall ill or be injured in a car crash and need to go to a medical facility that might have recognised or unrecognised spread of Ebola."

Over the next month, the CDC is also sending 50 extra specialists to the affected areas in West Africa, he said.

Even in the best of circumstances, the current outbreak could go on for six months or more, he warned.

Meanwhile, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said talks are under way for potential medical evacuations of US humanitarian workers who have contracted Ebola.